Post-card tray.



P. H. KRAETSCH.

POST CARD TVRAY. APPLICATION FILED N0v.23', 1915.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

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PAUL H. KRAETsci-L'or ASTORIA, OREGON.

Postr-CARD' TRAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented aan. a, isis.

Application led November 23,1915. Serial No. 63,065.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, PAUL H. KnAEisoir, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Astoria, in the county of Clatsop and State of Oregon, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Post-Card Trays, of which the following is a specification. Y

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide an improved tray for receiving postcards and unmounted photographs and the like, the tray being so constructed as toretain the cards or photographs in flat extended position, and to,

allow inspection of them without requiring their removal from the tray.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tray ofthe class described which will be extremely simple, durable, eliicient in operation, and inexpensive to manufacture.

lVith these and other objects in view which will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several iigures, of which` Figure l represents a view in perspective of a postcard tray my invention. Fig. 2 represents a view in section taken longitudinally on the plane indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3

-represents Va view in perspective taken on a plane transversely of the device, on the line- 3-3 of Fig. l.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a tray consisting of a bottom 5, a rear wall 6, ends 7, and a cover or top 8. The bottom 5 is preferably rectangular in shape and of an area and dimensions slightly greater than' dimensions of the postcards, or other articles in connection the area and photographs,

with which itis used, and the rear wallj and ends arise from v the outer edges of the bottom, so that the cards may readily be placed within'the tray. The back and sides may be made integrally with each other and with the bottom 5, or if desired they may be made in a single piece and subsequently attached to the bottom. The cover 8 is shaped similarly to bottom 5, and is slightly less in length than the bottom, whereby to constructed according to,

Vmaintain the cards in readily it between the back and side walls.

T iis cover carries an elastic band 9 which at its ends is connected with cover 8 along its medial line and adjacent the ends of the latter. The elastic band is adapted to fit around underneath the bottom 5 whereby to normally exert a tension upon the cover tending to draw it toward the bottom. The ends 7 are less than half the length of the ends of the bottom, so as not to interfere with the endportions of the elastic band 9. The height of the back and sides is such that a reasonable amount of cards may be accommodated,` without giving the tray an awkward or inartistic appearance.

The tray may be formed of any suitable material such as strawboard .or boardsof other material usually used in book-covers, covered with suitable ornamental or plain cloth, imitation or real leather, or the like, and the inside of the bottoni and the cover may be lined with suitable paper or if desired with the same material that the tray is covered with. i

In operation the cover is iirst removed and the postcards, photographs, or other articles to be contained, are placed upon the bottom and against the back between the sides, and the cover is then placed upon the top of the stack with the elastic band engaging around .the bottom. The tension exerted upon the cover will at all times retain the cards in flat extended position, and will keep them in closely packed relation whereby dust and dirt`will be prevented from seeping in between them. The cards may be inspected readily by lifting the cover, and tilting it backwardly,'and Vwithy recess at l0, whereby the bottommost cards may beli'fted suiiiciently from the bottom 5.

The back and sides lwill operate to maintain the postcards and the cover inl orderly and arranged position, and serve also to help place inthe tray. rIhe elastic band is connected at its ends along the medial vline of the cover, so that the latter may be placed on the tray with either edge adjacent the rear wall.

Although I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I may desire to make such changes in the construction, combination, and arrangement of Y parts ioo l0 length of one end opies o this patent may be obtained for adapted to t between the rear Wall and end Walls, said cover being of a Width substantially equal to the Width of the upper surface of the bottom, and an elastic band con neoted at its ends the @over and extending around the bottom.

PAUL H. KRAETSCl-l. l/Vitnesses:

HENRY ELPING, JOHN NORDSTROM.

five cents each, by addressing the Commssionero Patents,

Washington, D. C.

along the medial line of 

